o rock on its foundation, and, just as the light was once more
eclipsed, a crash which triumphed over the shouting of the wind announced
its fall, and for a moment the whole garden was alive with skipping tiles
and brickbats. One such missile grazed the Doctor's ear; another
descended on the bare foot of Aline, who instantly made night hideous
with her shrieks.

By this time the hamlet was alarmed, lights flashed from the windows,
hails reached the party, and the Doctor answered, nobly contending
against Aline and the tempest. But this prospect of help only awakened
Anastasie to a more active stage of terror.

'Henri, people will be coming,' she screamed in her husband's ear.

'I trust so,' he replied.

'They cannot. I would rather die,' she wailed.

'My dear,' said the Doctor reprovingly, 'you are excited. I gave you
some clothes. What have you done with them?'

'Oh, I don't know--I must have thrown them away! Where are they?' she
sobbed.

Desprez groped about in the darkness. 'Admirable!' he remarked; 'my grey
velveteen trousers! This will exactly meet your necessities.'

'Give them to me!' she cried fiercely; but as soon as she had them in her
hands her mood appeared to alter--she stood silent for a moment, and then
pressed the garment back upon the Doctor. 'Give it to Aline,' she
said--'poor girl.'

'Nonsense!' said the Doctor. 'Aline does not know what she is about.
Aline is beside herself with terror; and at any rate, she is a peasant.
Now I am really concerned at this exposure for a person of your
housekeeping habits; my solicitude and your fantastic modesty both point
to the same remedy--the pantaloons.' He held them ready.

'It is impossible. You do not understand,' she said with dignity.

By this time rescue was at hand. It had been found impracticable to
enter by the street, for the gate was blocked with masonry, and the
nodding ruin still threatened further avalanches. But between the
Doctor's garden and the one on the right hand there was that very
picturesque contrivance--a common well; the door on the Desprez' side had
chanced to be unbolted, and now, through the arched aperture a man's
bearded face and an arm supporting a lantern were introduced into the
world of windy darkness, where Anastasie concealed her woes. The light
struck here and there among the tossing apple boughs, it glinted on the
grass; but the lantern and the glowing face became the centre of the
world. Anasta